John van yleck



(No Model.)

J. VAN VLEGK.

RHEOSTAT.

N0.,456,2A80. Patented July 21,1891.

UNITED STATES PATENT OEETCE.

JOHN VAN VLECK, OF NEV YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR 'lO LUTHER S'FIRINGER, OF SAME PLACE.

RH EOSTAT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 45,280, dated July 21, 1891.

Application filed January 19, 1891. Serial No. 378,276. (No model.)

T0 all whom t may concern:

Be it known that l, JOHN VAN VLEcK, a citizen of the United States, residing at New York, in the county and State of New York, have invented a certain new and useful 1mprovement in Rheostats, of which the fellowing is a specification.

The present invention relates to an apparatusl for throwing resistances into or out ot' electrical circuits for controlling or regulatingI the current flowing in said circuits.

The object of the invention is to provide improved means for throwing resistance coils or devices into or out of circuit by a small movementof the handle of the rheostat; and the invention consists in the rheostat and in the several combinations hereinafter described and claimed.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a View, partly diagrammatic, showing one form of rheostat in which my improvement is embodied. Fig. 2 is a central section of a second form ot' rheostat embodying` the invention, and Fig. 3 is a diagram showing the circuit connections ot' the latter rheostat.

ln Fig. 1, 1 is an arm pivoted at 2 and having a handle Arranged in a circle around the center 2 is a series of contact-plates 4 et 12 and a second series of contact-plates 5 5 52, the contact-plates being connected through resistanees 8 t5 S2 9 9 92. One end of the switch-arm bears on the contact-plates of one series and the opposite end bears on the other series. The plates of the npperseries are not diametrieally opposite the plates of the lower series, (provided the switch-arm is straight,) but are arranged slightly out ot' line-that :is to say, a line drawn through the center of a plate 4 and the center 2 will not strike the center ol' a plate 5, but will pass to one side thereof, preferably through the space betweenl two plates. In other words, the plates of the two series are staggered. The

ends of arm 1 are preferably as wide as two contact-plates and the intervening space between two plates, so that said ends are always in contact with two and sometimes with three plates, and contact is made with an advance plate before the arm passes from the rear plate on which it was restin No resistances S, arm 1, coil 0 to terminal are connected to the two end plates (l 7. The terminals -land ot' the rheostat are connected tothe end plates, as shown. It will be seen that the plates of one series are connected in pairs by resistances beginning at the lei't, where the terminal of the instrument is connectedand extending toward the right, while the plates of the other series are connected in a similar manner, beginning at the right and passing toward the left.

ln the position illustrated in Fig. 1 the circuit is as follows: lterminal to plates 1 and U, arm 1, plates 5 and T to terminal and no resistance-coil is in circuit. lymoving the arm 1 so that its upper end rests on plates t 1 t2 and its lower end on 5 the circuit becomes terminal plate 4, arm 1, plate 5', coil i) to terminal M, thus putting one coil into the circuit. New by moving the switcharm one step-that is, a distance equal or about equal to the width ot one-halt' ot' a contaetplate and one space--the upper end passes onto 1 L12 and the lower end onto 5 5`2 53, and the circuit becomes terminal l-, coil p \Vith this arrangement a small range of movement is sufcient to throw a large number ot' resistances into the circuit and at the same time makes it possible to use large contact-platesrlhe rheostat illustrated in Figs. 2 and l is provided with two series ot' contacts arranged in concentric circles. 10 is a suitable base. -11 is the outer circle ot contact-plates, and 12 the inner circle of plates. 13 13 is a switcharm, the end 13 bearing on contact 1l and the end 13 bearing on the contacts 12. 11 is a metal plate secured to the base andY having a shank or pin 15. 16 is a sleeve onsaid pin, and has at its lower end a flange 17. 1S is a ring, preferabl)v ot insulating material, on the sleeve and supports the switch-arm 13 13. 10 is an arm connected to the sleeve 1G and to the arm 1.813', and is preferably insulated from said arm. rlhe arm 10 is for the purpose of taking strain from 13 when the handle 2O is turned to change the amount of resistance in the circuit. 21 is a frame or spider supported on the base and forming au arch over the contact-plates and switch-arm and serves to form a bearing for the vertical spin- IOO dle. The frame preferably has four legs. The circuit connections of this rheostat are indicated in Fig. 3, and will be clear without further description. The operation is the same as described in connection with Fig. l.

Having thus described the invention, what l claim is-l 1. The combination, in a rheostat, of a series of contacts connected by resistances, another series of contacts also connected by resistances,and a switch arm or device co-operating with both series of contacts and arranged to throw a resistance of one series into circuit by movement of the switch one step and then to throw a resistance of the other series by movement of the switch a second step, substantially as described.

2. The combination, in a rheostat, of two series of contacts connected by resistances and staggered, and a switch device co-opcrating with both series to throw a resistance of one series and of the other series alter nately into circuit, substantially as described.

The combination, in a rheostat, of two concentric series of contacts, the contacts of each series being connected in pairs through resistances, and a switch arm or device ce operating with the contacts of both series and arranged to throw one resistance into circuit by movement ot' the switch-arm through a single step, substantially as described.

4. The combination, in a rheostat, of a series of contacts connected in pairs by resistances from left to right, another series of contacts connected by resistances from right to left, and a switcharm or device simultaneously cooperating with both series of contacts, substantially as described.

5. The combination, with a single circuit, of a rheostat having a series of contacts connected by resistances from left to right, another series of contacts connected by resistanees from right to left, and a switch arm or device simultaneously co-operating with both series of contacts, substantially as described.

This specilication signed and witnessed this 16th day of January, 1891.

JOHN VAN VLECK.

Witnesses:

CHARLES M. CATLiN, J. A. YOUNG. 

